Free NHL Expert and Computer Picks For Every Game April 19, 2026
LA
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COL
Sun, Apr 19 • 3:00 PM ET
Nathan MacKinnon o0.5 Goals Scored (-125)
Nathan MacKinnon led the NHL in goals, shot attempts, and shots on target during the regular season. He was especially productive when well-rested. He has scored 10 goals over his last nine games working on two days of rest, and five goals spanning four games after having 3+ days of rest. MacKinnon also found the net in 64% of Colorado’s home wins, and I expect the Avalanche to win decisively here.
COL -1.5 (+105)
The Colorado Avalanche ran over the Los Angeles Kings in the regular season, winning all three meetings by multiple goals while beating them 13-5 in aggregate. That was par for the course for Los Angeles when facing high-end teams, especially defensively. Los Angeles lost seven of its last 10 games against Top-10 defensive teams, averaging 1.8 goals and 24.9 shots per game. Generating offense was a massive challenge. It won’t get any easier for them against the Avalanche, who went 15-3-1 with a net goal differential of +1.79 per game following 2+ days of rest.
MON
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TB
Sun, Apr 19 • 5:45 PM ET
Juraj Slafkovsky o0.5 Points (-145)
Juraj Slafkovsky had an excellent campaign altogether but was especially effective down the stretch, producing 28 points over 25 games following the Olympics. It wasn’t as if Slafkovsky had a couple of ceiling performances to exaggerate his numbers. He was remarkably consistent, hitting the scoresheet at least once in 18 games – good for a 74% clip. Slafkovsky faced the Lightning twice during that stretch and produced multiple points in both meetings. That is nothing new for Slafkovsky, who has points in five of his last six against Tampa Bay. Look for Slafkovsky to make an impact in Game 1.
Nikita Kucherov o0.5 Goals Scored (+130)
Kucherov hasn’t scored in back-to-back playoff series, but a steady dose of Aleksander Barkov and Gustav Forsling certainly had a lot to do with it. The Canadiens don’t have true shutdown personnel – particularly on the backend – of that level, and head coach Jon Cooper also controls the matchups. That should result in less time against Selke candidate Nick Suzuki, which would help Kucherov’s cause. Look for Kucherov to put his recent postseason struggles behind him.
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